Vent structure for storage batteries



V (NVEATO/i" v WOW 25 I I C6272: zas/fizzrasfen VENT STRUCTURE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Original Filed June 26, 1940 Patented Nov. 7, 1944 r f VENT STRUCTURE FOR'STORAGE v BATTERIES I j Cornelius Ambruster, Roslyn, Pa;, assignor-to .The

Electric Storage Battery, Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation oLNew Jersey Original application June 26, 1940, Serial No.

342,435,:now. Patent No. 2,328,535, dated September 7,-1943. Divide d and this'application September 20, 1941, Serial No. 411,669

3 Claims. (01. 136 -163) This invention relates to an improved vent construction for a secondary battery and is a division of my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 342,435, now Patent 2,328,535, dated September '7, 1943.

In accordance: with the invention disclosed in my co-pending application there is provided an improved cover-supporting arrangement fora secondary battery whereby; the cover is supported independently of the elements of the battery so that disturbance of the sealing compound, in the event of upward growth of the elements, .is opposed. j

A specific object of this invention is to provide, in the construction which opposes disturbance of the sealing compound, improved means for venting the battery which means includes an improved construction for preventing emission of electrolyte spray through the vent.

Other objects of the present invention will appear from the following description at the end.

of whichthe invention will be claimed.

' Generally stated, the invention covered by this application comprises providing openings in the cover of a storage battery for receiving the terminal posts of the battery,.which openings have an area greater than the area of the terminal post so that the terminal post is free to move relative to the cover. The opening defined around the terminal post by the excess area of the cover opening relative to the terminal post forms a vent opening, and provided adjacent to this vent opening is improved means for trapping and returning electrolyte spray'to the battery jar.

The invention also consists in the improvements to be presently described and finally claimed.

In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view principally in section illustrating a cover structure embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial top or plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a detai1 of construction usefulin shipping. t

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the supports.

In the drawing, a indicates the element or plate structure provided with a terminal post b and supported on ribs 0 at the bottom of the battery jar. d indicates a cover downwardly and outwardly flanged at its periphery as indicated at 'e and the cover fits inside of thejarv or container generally indicated at f. There is nothing new about the construction as above indicated, and I will now proceed to describe thepresent inven v tion. The inner facel and the outerface 2 of the side wall of the jar are fiat. therefore, be produced at comparatively little cost. The hole or opening 3in the cover is larger; than theterminal post b which extends through it and the portion of the cover surroundingthe opening 3 is dished downwardly as at 4. ,45, is a wws:

They. may,-

support provided with-a foot B. .,A number-0L these supports. 5 in spaced relation are attached to the cover'd so as to; project beyond its edge and to rest on the top of the'sidewall ofthe jar.

The feet 6 of the supports 5 engage the outside face of the jar wall and hold it and the cover in fixed relation. The channel g receives sealing compound shown at the right, Fig. l, and which 'is not shown at the left for the sake of clearness and the sealing compound is introduced into the space or channel g in the usual way and, since the supports 5 are spaced, they do not interfere with its introduction. As shown, the supports 5 are attached to the cover by rivets I and they are arranged in recesses or mortises provided in pads 8 on the cover. The feet 6 are shown arranged'a's tenons in mortises 9 provided in the outer face of the jar wall, thus avoiding any substantial increase in the outside dimension of the cell. The supports 5 may be made of lead alloy or other suitable material and they may be made integral with the cover or attached thereto. I0 is an upstanding rib on the cover and it surrounds the opening 3. l l is a canopy shown as mounted on the terminal post 6 and it is provided with a drip skirt I 2.

In use, growth or movement in upward direc-v tion of the element a iswithout effect upon the cover and has no tendency to disturb the sealing compound because the terminal post passes through an opening in the cover larger in area than the post itself as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus, a vent opening is provided around the post by the opening 3. It is an additional advantage of the construction shownthat there are no capillary channels between the post and the cover through which electrolyte might creep and attack the terminal post. The canopy H and its drip skirt I2 are located in the path of electrolyte emitted through opening 3 and together with the rib l0 serve-to return to the cell any liquid that may have escaped, for example as spray, through the space 3.

Since the cover d and jar are held against relative movement by the supports 5 and their feet 6 and, since the terminal post is free of the cover,

tendency to disturb the sealing compound is opposed.

In shipping use may be made of a tapered stopper l3 and washer M, Fig. 3, in order to steady the element a byaengaging the terminal post 7), pressure being exerted on the stopper l3 by means of the threaded portion of the post I) and canopy II. are removable as indicated in Fig. 1. The ele; ments l3 and I4 also serve to prevent electrolyte from splashing out of the jar during shipment.

Reference to the drawing shows that the thread on the post b stops at a considerable distance above the cover at, providing a stop or shoulder which limits the downward travel of the element l l to a position spaced from and above the cover.

At the top of the post, the thread is omitted throughout its upward length, providing a portion at the top of the post of somewhat reduced containing electrolyte, an element in the jar provided'with a terminal? post, a cover having an openinglarger in area than the'area of the cross section of'the terminahpost and'through which In use, however, these elements 13 and It the post passes, said cover being annularly ribbed and dished downwardly around the opening, and a canopy mounted on the terminal post above said opening and provided with a drip skirt, whereby spray is directed back into the jar.

2; A storage battery cell comprising a jar, an element supported from the bottom of said jar and having a terminal post, electrolyte in said jar, acover supported at the top of said jar having an opening through which said post projects,

the diameter of said opening being greater than the diameter of said post, a canopy with drip skirt mounted on said post and covering said opening, and a dished cavity provided in the upper surface of said cover and surrounding said trolytetrapped-by'said skirt is directed back into the jar.

3. Incombination, in a storage battery, a jar containing'electrolyte, an element in the jar provided with a terminal post, a cover'having an opening larger in area than'the area of the cross-- section of the terminal post through which the 

